LIVING AND DINING ROOM

Evening Star, Issue 22070, 2 July 1935, Page 2

LIVING AND DINING ROOM

BEST WAY TO JOIN THEM FOR CONVENIENCE AND SPACIOUSNESS We all know that the houses of today are small compared with those built years ago. They are smaller, not only because architects and builders try to keep flown expenses, but for the very good reason that practical housekeepers prefer compact little homes which are easily managed and do not require an expensive staff. Anyone searching for a convenient house or flat usually finds that a choice must be made between one which has a living room of fairly handsome proportions and a miniature dining room, or another which ; has a living room and a dining room of about equals size, both tod small for effective furnishing and real comfort (writes P. A. Barron, in an English home journal). Most housewives choose the former arrangement, because at all costs they like to ' have one moderately large room, but when this is proyided at the expense of a very tiny dining room, which will only just accommodate the family, not to speak of occasional guests, they are inclined to grumble. The result of all this is that quite recently a large number of new houses and flats have been designed on different lines. Instead of having two comparatively small “ reception rooms, to use the description beloved by house agents, they have one really handsome room which is made to serve the double purpose, - . ■ . . , In many cases there is some kind or division between the portion which is intended for use as a dining room and that which may be furnished as a hying room or lounge. Usually this division takes the form of folding doors, but, though I have visited a great many new homes thus designed, L have never yet seen the doors closed, and this makes me think that owners like the spaciousness of the large room. Another method of planning which is proving very popular provides a really large room which occupies the greater part of the ground floor of a house, or of the space devoted to the living quarters of a flat. This, of course, can be furnished handsomely in any desired style. There is no dining room at all, properly speaking, but at one end of the large room, usually that containing ' the fireplace, there is a small, alcove, or recess, just large enough for a dining table and the necessary chairsi but very little more. Between this alcove and the kitchen there is usually a door and also a serving hatch, so it is a very simple matter to serve and clear away meals without in any way disturbing the larger portion of the room which is used as the lonnge._ This simple and extremely practical arrangement is so convenient that _ 1 believe it will become more general in the near future. Already it is possible to find in most districts houses and flats planned in this manner, and' many which were originally designed with separate living and dining rooms have | been converted into the single room ' typo by the simple process of cutting away ’part of the dividing wall. I have seen many of these recent conversions and in every case the improvement has been quite astonishing. Two small rooms' which were cramped and had no dignity have become a really handsome apartment which gave ample scope for effective furnishing. One lady I know wished to have the alteration made to an old house in which she had lived for many years. When she consulted an architect, however, he said that it would be impossible because the floor of one room was about 15in lower than that of the other; This certainly did seem to be a serious objection at first, but my ! friend was not to be balked. She said

that if part of the dividing wall were removed there might be a couple ot broad steps from the higher room to the lower, so she insisted upon the alteration. . When the work has been carried out she invited me to see the result, and I must say it was very pleasing. The two separate rooms hud measured 17ft by 13ft, and 13ft by 13ft, and you will realise thaf with some rather large pieces of furniture they both appeared to be overcrowded. After the alteration one had a clear vista of 30ft, and to eyes accustomed to the comparatively small rooms of t-day, it looked magnificently spacious. There is another advantage or tins method of planning a new house or altering an old one. If you have separate rooms, you may find that one admits sunshine early in the morning, but looks gloomy during the remainder of the day, and that the other looks bright and cheerful during the later hours. When the two rooms are connected, you have one which may be flooded with light practically all the time the sun is houses the combined living and dining rooms have windows on three sides, facing east, south, and west, and these are truly suntraps which would make anj'bodv feel cheerful. Some of these rooms have at one end a large bow window and at the other glazed doors opening on to a loggia or verandah, or giving access to the garden. Some or the most charming houses I have seen recently are designed in this manner. I have often a pity that so many women seem to regard a house as something which once built must remain for ever in the state in winch it pleased the architect to leave it. it may have obvious imperfections, but it seems to be considered that these must he endured as they cannot be cured. The truth is that most imperfections can he cured, and at far less expense than is generally supposed. For quite small suras, such as £lO, £ls, or £-0. I have seen improvements made which might add ten times those amounts to the values of the houses if their owners ever wished to sell. Walls may be cut through, bav windows may be added, or new fireplaces built in, and the improvements thus effected may be, really wonderful. , , , \s so many people buy houses now, instead of paying rent, it is surely well worth while to consider the possibility of making improvements, and, in the case of the smaller houses, I do not think anything is likely to give more satisfaction than such alterations as are here suggested. It is hardly necessary to point out that the large combined living and dining room ■saves money and labour because only one fire is needed instead of two, a mb.this may be used chief!v for the sake of cheerfulness, as any of the modern central-heating systems. which are very will maintain an even temperature in a large room at all times. BUILDING SUBSIDIES. I Out of 577 applications in ChristI church for the Unemployment Board’s I building subsidy 537 have been oranted, according to a report presented last week to a meeting of the/ Christchurch Unemployment Committee. The cost of the work approved is £360,440, and the subsidy involved is £27,451. Under the subsidy scheme S 3 applications have been approved. The cost is £6,564, and the subsidy £632.